The Unbearable Lightness of Being
A lovers' story
Country
Production
Budget
$17 000 000
Revenue
$10 006 806
Director
Actors
Scenario
Producer
Saul Zaentz, Paul Zaentz, Bertil Ohlsson
Operator
Composer
Mark Adler
Artist
Audition
Editing
Short description
Successful surgeon Tomas leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza, and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina, but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tom continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.
What's left behind the scenes
- Lena Olin met the lead actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, on the first day of filming. On that very same day, they had to be nude on camera and film a love scene.
- The scenes depicting the Soviet Army's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 used both documentary footage from that time and footage of a reconstruction of the events. The documentary footage was shot by young people. One of them appears in the film – he is the one being beaten by Soviet soldiers and having his filmed footage confiscated.
- Miloš Forman (1932-2018) personally offered Philip Kaufman the opportunity to direct this film when he learned of the interest major studios were beginning to show in the adaptation of Milan Kundera's 1982 novel. Forman did not dare to direct it himself because he had family in Czechoslovakia and feared reprisals, as the country was under Soviet occupation at the time.
- Lena Olin met the lead actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, on the first day of filming. On that very day, they had to appear nude before the camera and perform a love scene.
- The film is based on the novel of the same name by Milan Kundera, a French writer of Czech origin. Kundera disliked this adaptation so much that he categorically refused to participate in the film's promotional campaign.
- Miloš Forman (1932-2018) personally offered Philip Kaufman the opportunity to direct this film after learning of the interest major film studios were beginning to show in adapting Milan Kundera's 1982 novel. Forman himself did not dare to direct it because he had family in Czechoslovakia and feared repression, as the country was then under Soviet occupation.
- The first version of the film was nearly two hours long, but it turned out to be somewhat incoherent. The director, Philip Kaufman, was asked to reinsert scenes that he had previously cut. The very next day, the version that eventually went into theatrical release was ready. It is believed that Kaufman intentionally showed a short and somewhat confusing version so that he would be allowed to release the full version, which lasted nearly 3 hours.
- The first version of the film was almost two hours long, but it turned out to be incomprehensible. The film's director, Philip Kaufman, was asked to insert scenes he had previously cut. The next day, a version was ready that went into release. It is believed that Kaufman deliberately showed a short and somewhat confusing version so that he would be allowed to release the full version, lasting almost 3 hours.
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Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
